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I began teaching a writing class about two years ago, giving prompts, reading inspirational pieces, and offering advice about how to maneuver the world
of words, sentences, paragraphs, and stories. I felt that I had something to offer since I'd written so many books. But when I began to share my
knowledge and experiences as a writer, I never imagined how much my classes would impact my own writing and my understanding of the writing process
in general.

The Golden Globe awards were not at all what I expected. I usually spend most of the show admiring the gowns and millions of dollars worth of diamonds
dripping from necks, wrists and ear lobes. But when every attendee, actor and civilian, showed up in black, it was a stunning sight to see. Diamonds
look shiny and exquisite on black but no one asked anyone “what they were wearing” or from whence their magnificent jewels had been rented. The issues
were far more important, it appeared that everyone agreed, and there was a comforting and exciting show of solidarity, something the industry has been
sorely lacking.

“Whew! Thank God it's the New Year. It has to be better than last year. It was brutal.”

I don't know how many times I’ve heard someone say that when I was drinking a toast to Auld Lang Syne. I’ve said it myself and most everyone agreed.
And then, when the supposed “better” year comes to an end, we say it all over again. As if we hadn’t done that last year.

At first glance, it’s hard to find anything good about 2017. Our political climate turned upside down and became deeply negative, the polarization
between political parties was never so blatant and damaging, there were mass shootings and terrorist attacks, and there were massive sexual assault
upheavals in corporate businesses and the film industry. Global warming was never so obvious, we felt the extreme heat and the seasonal aberrations
and still, lawmakers refused to acknowledge what was so obviously going on.